1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a door structure, and more particularly to an automotive door structure.
2. Description of the Relevant Art
Automotive doors have door glass sheets and door glass lifting/lowering devices. Heretofore, an automotive door comprises an inner panel and an outer panel which are joined to each other by welding or the like, and the door glass sheet and the door glass lifting/lowering device are mounted on one of the inner and outer panels.
The door glass sheet and the door glass lifting/lowering device are relatively heavy. Therefore, at least one of the inner and outer door panels, which supports the door glass sheet and the door glass lifting/lowering device, has to be constructed of a rigid material such as an iron sheet or the like. As a result, the automotive door structure is of large weight as a whole. The door glass lifting/lowering device cannot easily be assembled in place since it must be inserted into the gap between the inner and outer door panels after they have been joined to each other.
The door glass lifting/lowering device comprises a link mechanism which supports a lower portion of the door glass sheet, an operating handle mounted on the inner side of the door, a component such as a sector gear disposed between the link mechanism and the operating handle, a holder guide for lifting and lowering the door glass sheet accurately, and a vibroisolating mechanism for preventing the door glass sheet from vibrating. The conventional door glass lifting/lowering device is made up of a large number of parts, and is structurally complex. There has been a demand for an arrangement which allows the user to lift and lower the door glass sheet with a reduced force, so that the door glass sheet can be opened and closed easily.
Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-8886 published on Mar. 21, 1984 discloses a door checker mechanism for holding an automotive door in a certain open position such as a fully open position. The disclosed door checker mechanism comprises a horizontal lever having one end pivotally mounted on the automobile body and a bulging portion near its other end, a case fixed to an automotive door, the horizontal lever extending through the case, upper and lower shoe members housed in the case and sandwiching the horizontal lever vertically, resilient members of rubber for pressing the shoe members against the horizontal lever, and a stopper attached to the other end of the horizontal lever. When the door is fully opened, the stopper engages the case and the bulging portion of the lever is clamped between the upper and lower shoe members. As a result, the door remains open through the door checker mechanism. The door checker mechanism has many components and a complex structure. Another problem is that the horizontal lever makes the door checker mechanism large especially in the horizontal direction.
The present invention has been made with a view to effectively solving the problems of the conventional automotive door structure.